Waterville teens are asking for dark skies. The city is listening.

CENTRAL MAINE • May 21, 2026

A group of high schoolers wants a clear view of the night sky, and it’s helping the City Council make that happen. The Waterville Youth Council is currently drafting an ordinance to regulate public lighting in Waterville to reduce light pollution and promote dark skies. Youth council co-chairs Penny Graham and Taylor Amuso said they picked light pollution as their issue because it’s a fixable problem. When lights are off, the pollution goes away. When cities design their lighting fixtures to keep the sky dark, they prevent the pollution. They also save money.